The holidays are all about celebrating time with family and friends and anyone who is special in your life. For dog owners, a very important aspect of their life usually involves their pup, so it makes sense that you would want to include your pup when celebrating Thanksgiving!
Whether you are celebrating the holidays at home or with a loved one, there is no reason why your dog has to be left out of the fun. With just a few simple steps, you could include your beloved pet in the festivities so that they don’t feel left out.
Dogs can even enjoy some special Thanksgiving foods just like humans can! Keep reading to find out how you can spoil your dog this Thanksgiving.
1. Pre-Dinner Fetch at the Park or in the Yard
Thanksgiving Day is an all-day celebration where you can enjoy a variety of things before sitting down for the main meal of the day. One activity that is not only good for your pup but for you as well is playing some pre-dinner fetch.
You and your dog will most likely be eating delicious Thanksgiving foods later on in the day, and you want to get some activity in. This is incredibly beneficial for your dog, especially if they have been indoors most of the day.
It is ideal if you can take them to a local park where they can run around more and even interact with some other dogs. But if that isn’t possible, you could always play with your dog in the backyard if there is ample room for fetch.
If the weather happens to be rainy on this day, you can always find some quieter forms of play that you and your dog can do inside.
2. Appetizers: Soft-Baked, Grain-Free Bacon DBB’s Dipped in Our CBD Peanut Butter
When it comes to the Thanksgiving meal, it is important to pace yourself. The same rule applies when you are treating your dog to some delicious foods that they don’t get to enjoy just any day.
To start your dog off, you can prepare easy appetizers with the Soft-Baked, Grain-Free Bacon Treats as the base. As the name suggests, these are entirely grain-free and are made with CBD oil, brewer’s yeast, and omega fatty acids.
These treats are delicious on their own, but they are incredibly tempting when dipped into the Doggy Beer Bones CBD-Infused Peanut Butter!
Make sure you are nearby and have somewhere clean where your dog can eat these treats. This can get a little messy, so you don’t want them too close to any furniture or carpeted areas.
3. Dinner: Dog-Friendly Turkey Dinner
After everyone has enjoyed their appetizers, it is time to sit down to enjoy the true feast of the day. This is a great time to include your dog in the festivities and allow them to enjoy their own dog-friendly turkey dinner.
Something you may not realize is that a lot of traditional Thanksgiving foods are naturally dog-friendly. Some of the main ingredients, such as turkey, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes, are all perfectly safe for your dog to eat.
As you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner, you can set these ingredients aside as a special dish for your dog. This is better than giving your dog these foods after everything has been prepared since you don’t want your dog to consume too much sugar or salt.
If you weren’t able to set aside these ingredients, you can always wash them off underwater to remove seasonings and additives. Make sure you remove all of the bones from the turkey, and pumpkin and sweet potatoes should be fork-tender so that they are easily digestible.
A few other Thanksgiving foods your dog can enjoy are apples, green beans, and peas.
4. Dessert: Our Soft-Baked Pumpkin Treats With a Dollop of Whipped Cream
One of the stars of the show when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner is the last food you usually eat. The good news for dogs is that pumpkin is entirely dog-friendly and actually has a lot of health benefits.
That is why we at Doggy Beer Bones have Soft-Baked, Grain-Free Pumpkin Dog Treats that help pups enjoy this special ingredient. Like the bacon treats, these are grain-free and full of omega fatty acids.
To make this extra special, add a dollop of whipped cream to each treat for a touch of sweetness. It is even better if you are making homemade whipped cream, and you can give your dog some that doesn’t have any sugar added.
5. Nap Time! Get on That Couch and Watch Some Football or Have a Little Snooze
After the Thanksgiving meal has been enjoyed, there is no better activity than finally sitting on the couch to enjoy the rest of the day. Dogs enjoy this activity as well and are happy to join you whether you want to take a long nap or enjoy some football.
This is part of why it is a good idea to play with your dog earlier in the day before eating the main meal. Getting their energy out early on will allow them to rest peacefully after eating without feeling overstimulated.
Safety Tips When Celebrating Thanksgiving With Pets
No matter what you are doing with your dog, it is vital to make sure everything is dog-friendly. Every year, so many pets are sent to the vet because they have eaten something that was not safe. That is why it is so important to be aware of what your dog can and cannot eat when you are trying to treat them.
Do Your Research
Whenever you plan on feeding your dog something out of the ordinary, you need to do your research. Celebrating Thanksgiving with your dog is great, but not every Thanksgiving food is safe for your dog to consume.
You should avoid giving your dog anything that contains added sugar, sodium, excess dairy, bones, and ingredients like butter. Even though some ingredients are safe for dogs, they aren’t necessarily good for them to be eating.
Keep Candy Out of Reach
With the holidays come an abundance of sweet treats that we humans especially enjoy around Thanksgiving. But it is important to remember that a lot of candy is very bad for dogs to get a hold of.
You need to have a policy in your home where candy is kept well out of reach of dogs. This also includes candy wrappers since dogs may try to eat them if they smell like food.
It is especially important to keep any kind of chocolate out of reach since this is highly toxic for dogs.
Ration Out Human Food
As much as you want to treat your pup on Thanksgiving, it is important to remember that dogs have a specific kind of diet. It is perfectly acceptable for them to eat some human foods, but this should not be too excessive.
Your dog will most likely eat some of their own food as well, and you don’t want them to end up eating too much. Not only is this unhealthy for their weight, but it can become very upsetting for their stomach, especially if they are already sensitive to food.
You want to be especially cautious when you are feeding your dog ingredients they have never had before. It may not sit well with them, and you don’t want them to have an upset tummy for the rest of the day.
Avoid Irritating Ingredients
Speaking of having an upset tummy, there are a lot of ingredients out there that are very irritating for dogs. Dogs have a different kind of digestive balance, and they aren’t used to having such a variety of foods as we are.
When you are feeding your dog Thanksgiving food, you need to be especially careful and watch out for any irritating ingredients. This usually falls under the category of seasonings or additives that are overly rich or spicy.
Encourage Hydration
Throughout Thanksgiving day, you want to encourage your dog to drink as much water as possible. This is a great way to make sure they are flushing out any sugar or sodium they are consuming throughout the day.
Some dogs can become easily distracted by the excitement of celebrating Thanksgiving and may not automatically drink enough water. That is why you want to make sure you are supplying fresh water and encouraging them to drink whenever possible.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, there is no greater joy than being surrounded by all of your favorite people. For dog owners, this includes their four-legged family members as well!
If any of these dog-friendly treats sound good to you, check out the other pup-tastic options we provide at Doggie Beer Bones!
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